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~ Psalm 27:4

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Monthly Archives: March 2014

Christians Offended By The Bible??

30 Sunday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Apostates, Christ, Christian Activism, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Deliverance, Doctrine matters!, Easy Believe-ism, End of Days, False Christs, False Conversion, False Fruit, God's Word, GOSPEL, Hatred for Christ, Hatred for God, Heart contents, Heresy, Jesus Christ Alone, Last Days, man's depravity, Obedience to the word, Pride, Protection, Religious Non-Regeneration, Rest, Result of depravity, Results of Feminism, results of humanism, Results of paganism, Sin, Submission, Teaching, Tolerance, True nature, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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apologetics, apostasy, Bible, Biblical Authority, Blessed, Christ, Christian, christianity, christians, church, Death, Disobedience, Doctrine, Ecumenicult, eternity, Evangelism, False Gospel, false-prophets, God, God's Word, Heresy, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Knowledge, Lies, Only Son of God, Overcoming, Persecution, Preaching, Salvation, Scripture, Sin, Solid Scripture, Truth, Word of God


Reblogged from Growing Home….excellent!
http://www.growinghomeblog.com/

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I saw a quote on Pinterest that said, “The world is a magical place full of people waiting to be offend by something.” Ain’t that the truth? America’s biggest problem isn’t bullying, intolerance, a Muslim invasion, or defending the constitution; it’s a generation of people who believe they’re entitled to not getting their feelings hurt.

And I’m not just talking about the left. Christians can be just as wimpy and thin-skinned, and their demand for tolerance (i.e. permission to live as they please) by warping terms like “grace,” and “Christian liberty” are no less obnoxious.

We say we want to live according to God’s will, but please, just don’t be spouting off any Scripture passages pertaining to education, fertility, divorce, debt, modesty, welfare or any other part of my fleshly desires that I’m not ready to bring into captivity and make obedient unto Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5)

If we have a sneaking suspicion that God’s Word might not be in line with our desires, we can choose not to investigate Scripture and call it “a matter of Christian liberty.” Like the stork with his head in the sand, if we don’t know what God says about a matter, it must be because He hasn’t said anything about it. This is a great band-aid ’til someone rips it off by laying God’s revealed will plainly before our face. Then we demand “grace.”

If we truly want others to extend more grace to us, we must be willing to change. Grace doesn’t mean, “I’m-saved-anyway-so-please-stop-telling-me-how-the-Bible-says-I-should-live.” Grace means, “God’s-unmerited-favor-makes-me-earnestly-desire-to-live-according-to-His-commandments-out-of-gratitude-for-purchasing-my-pardon-on-Calvary’s-tree.” Grace is not about being content with where we are. The Gospel compels us to conform to Christ because if we love Him, we will desire to keep His commandments (John 14:15).

Different people will have different interpretations of God’s Word, and it should upset us when it’s twisted, thwarted, misquoted, or taken out of context – but that’s not the point of this post. Neither am I encouraging Bible-thumping, speck-pointing, self-righteousness, or any other Pharisaical behavior condemned by Jesus. Heidi St. John said it best in her excellent post Dear Church, Let’s Talk About What Really Matters, “It’s easier to follow a checklist of do’s and don’ts than it is to do the harder work of studying the Bible and listening to God for ourselves.”

My point is simply this: if we claim to be Christians, if we want to live a holy life, if we yearn to be sanctified, if the Word of God means anything to us at all, we cannot be offended by it. We can be taught, reproved, corrected, convicted, and trained by Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16), but to grow angry, bitter, uptight and resentful because someone made a decision based on a Bible passage that pricks our own conscience, is a sign of spiritual immaturity and evidence that our spirit still has a mighty war to wage against our carnal nature.

If a fellow believer states that their reason for homeschooling, head-covering, wearing skirts, living debt-free, or not using particular vaccines because of aborted fetal content is a personal conviction based on principles they believe are biblical, our reaction should not be one that automatically assumes judgement, legalism, or self righteousness (unless of course, they are indeed making a blanket statement and turning Scriptural inferences and principles into universal commands).

Instead, we ought to be like the Bereans and examine the Scriptures to see if what they are saying is true (Acts 17:11). A mark of a true Christian is the desire to obey God’s commands (John 14:15). Do we desire holiness and conformity to Christ badly enough to let go of comfortable routines and conveniences that are found wanting when we measure them according to God’s revealed will? Are we living in such a way that when someone gives a biblical defense for a certain practice, our own position is solidified because it is rooted in God’s Word? Are we eager to study what God says about a matter or content with pat answers that keep the possibility of change at bay: “Well, this is what works for us so we’re sticking with it,” “The Bible is silent on that issue,” “That’s a matter of Christian liberty,” “That’s just not reasonable and God knows it’d never work for our family,” “I’m not patient, rich, smart, feminine, or good enough to do that.”

The Bible is foolishness and an offence to those who are outside of Christ, but to those who have been saved by the power of the Holy Spirit, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow and judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) It must transform our lives and daily renew our minds because, as Kristy put it in Why I Choose to Be a Conservative Christian, “Christianity is not about rules, it is all about life. The life of Christ.”

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

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Someone Asks You “Am I Saved?” – Tim Conway

22 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Christ, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Deliverance, Demons, Doctrine matters!, False Christs, False Conversion, False Fruit, God's Word, GOSPEL, Heart contents, Jesus Christ Alone, Last Days, man's depravity, Mutual Submission, Obedience to the word, Pride, Religious Non-Regeneration, Rest, Result of depravity, results of humanism, Results of paganism, Sin, Submission, Teaching, Tolerance, True nature, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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If someone asks you “Am I saved?” what would you say to them? How do you answer these questions? Take each one and really think honestly about your answer…don’t answer quickly, giving rote answers….think…How do you answer these questions honestly?

We are commanded to make our election certain. Do you seek to obey the Lord? What do you think of Christ? Has your life changed since that moment you were saved, are you a whole new creation seeking his righteousness, seeking to honor Him, submit to Him, obey Him? Does a pattern of sin still exist in your life…has the old man fallen away? Are you reborn, a new person, a new heart that loves Christ more than anything? Would you sell all you have to gain that precious Pearl? Do you think about what  you want most of the time, or do you think about what pleases Jesus? What do you do with I John? Do you gauge yourself by yourself or by the word of God in context, as HE gauges and judges you? Something for everyone to think about, especially the very confident….Are you a different person, sensitive to your own sin, with a conscience that is tender to the word? What you do in secret is what you really believe. Do you hate Hell but love sin? Of course, no pleasure seeker wants to go to Hell…no selfish person wants to go to Hell….

http://gccsatx.com/videos/someone-asks-you-am-i-saved-tim-conway/

Also see:

1 John 1:6

If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.

1 John 1:8
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

1 John 2:3
We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

1 John 2:4
Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

1 John 2:9
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.

1 John 2:11
But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.

1 John 3:9
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.

II Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

http://www.gotquestions.org/new-creation.html

Tim does a study on repentance. Good for all believers and for those who believe they are believers….genuine repentance is fruit of regeneration. 

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Charo Washer’s Testimony

22 Saturday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Biblical Evangelism, Christ, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Deliverance, Easy Believe-ism, False Conversion, False Fruit, God's Word, GOSPEL, Heart contents, Jesus Christ Alone, Obedience to the word, Pride, Religious Non-Regeneration, Result of depravity, Sin, Submission, Teaching, Tolerance, True nature, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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After being a missionary in Peru for 12 years, in 2004 when listening to Paul Washer’s sermon “Examine Yourself”, Charo Washer was saved. Awesome testimony. Incredible. Give a listen! ~AGM†

 

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Biblical Submission Is So Misunderstood

20 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Apostates, Christ, Christian Activism, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Doctrine matters!, Easy Believe-ism, False Conversion, False Fruit, Fear, God's Word, GOSPEL, Hatred for Christ, Hatred for God, Heart contents, Jesus Christ Alone, Last Days, man's depravity, Marriage God's Way, Mutual Submission, Obedience to the word, Pride, Religious Non-Regeneration, Result of depravity, Results of Feminism, results of humanism, Results of paganism, Sin, Submission, Teaching, Tolerance, True nature, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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footwashing

From a wonderful blog that I read daily, this time a post from her husband. A wonderfully scriptural perspective that applies to both husband and wife, and that is little applied, it seems, except to the wife. It applies to both if one is to have a truly biblical marriage. And that is what the command from God in His word is, is it not?~AGM†

Ephesians 5:21…..”submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ…..”

The concept of Biblical submission as it relates to marriage is very misunderstood in the church and outside of it. God’s truths are often far more complex than what they appear on the surface, as are many Biblical ideals. Most of the ideals for a Christian marriage can be summed up as simply “being Christian” to each other by trying to serve and please one another.


“I want to show the Jesus living in me to you in the way I love, serve and please you.” 

The Bible, and the godly principles taught therein, is our operating system, and God’s Word should be first and foremost on the minds of both husband and wife. To please each other goes beyond a 50% marriage and instead seeks the best interest and desires of your spouse before your own interest and desires. Is this not what Christ showed all Christians to do; to give up our lives in love and service towards one another?

There should be nothing equal about my serving my spouse, but instead I should seek to out-produce him/her in almost every area of the marriage. Certainly we can have roles with husband working a job outside the home and the wife working within the home, but if either spouse needs help, even when it is not requested, we are to jump in and “do unto others” with selfless service and sacrifice.
Now you say, “This sounds great! But then why are so many Christian marriages failing if both spouses are trying to please each other?” The answer is simply that too many marriages are not living up to even a modest set of Biblical ideals. Many Christians are not acting like a Christian to their spouse because they selfishly want their share, their half, their ways.

What makes a Biblical marriage unique is not really submission, but the the order of things ~ “For the husband as head of the wife as Christ is head of the church” {Ephesians 5:23}. 

To go from a good Christian marriage to a strong Biblical marriage one must willingly move beyond mutual submission to understand how God prizes order in relationships. God assigns the husband’s role to be leader not because he is smarter, wiser, stronger, but because God wants order. A relationship without a “head” is prone to potentially endless arguing, perhaps not in all marriages, but many. But beyond this a husband as head is to love his wife sacrificially, even when she does not follow.

C.S. Lewis puts it this way ~

“This headship, then, is most fully embodied not in the husband we should all wish to be but in him whose marriage is most like a crucifixion; whose wife receives most and gives least, is most unworthy of him, is – in her own mere nature – least lovable. For the Church has not beauty but what the Bride-groom gives her; he does not find, but makes her, lovely. The chrism of this terrible coronation is to be seen not in the joys of any man’s marriage but in its sorrows, in the sickness and sufferings of a good wife or the faults of a bad one, in his unwearying {never paraded} care or his inexhaustible forgiveness: forgiveness, not acquiescence. As Christ sees in the flawed, proud, fanatical or lukewarm Church on earth that Bride who will one day be without spot or wrinkle, and labours to produce the latter, so the husband whose headship is Christ-like {and he is allowed no other sort} never despairs.”

The concept of “mutual submission” as perceived and believed by many in the church is an oxymoron because one cannot both be “subject to” and be the “head” or leader. One cannot lead and yet “submit in everything.”  Christ could not be both head of his church and submit to his church, and elders do not mutually submit to members.

The concept of an “egalitarian marriage” often has both spouses looking for equality, as an “equal marriage” often means I am looking for my half, my rights, my needs to be met my way? Christ made it clear that all are to be treated with equal personhood, but our role is to serve and put others before our own selves.

It is the “Biblical marriage” where the husband is the sacrificial leader and the wife is submissive and respectful of his position as the head of the family. When things go wrong, or become difficult, the godly spouse gives more, loves more and plays an even greater God given role to be “like Christ” to try and win over their difficult spouse .

If you want a great marriage, move beyond egalitarianism to a Biblical marriage of pleasing and serving one another fully without waiting for your spouse to respond in like manner. Allow your spouse to play their role in God’s order.  Beyond this, trust that the Holy Spirit is doing His work to bring you both into “One Flesh,” just as Christ and His Church are One, and God the Father and Son are One. At the center of the Biblical One Flesh marriage is not principles, actions or deeds, but Christ Himself.

Can you see Jesus in your marriage?
If not, will you be the one who puts Him there no matter what?

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus … who humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.
Philippians 2:3-9

***Written by Ken, as if you couldn’t tell! 😉

http://lorialexander.blogspot.com/2014/03/biblical-submission-is-so-misunderstood.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FYgKBq+%28Always+Learning%29

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Nothing Safe About Secret Sin (No sin is private. It may be secret but it is not private.)

19 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Apostates, Biblical Evangelism, Christ, Christian Activism, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Deliverance, Demons, Doctrine matters!, Easy Believe-ism, End of Days, False Christs, False Conversion, False Fruit, Fear, God's Word, GOSPEL, Hatred for Christ, Hatred for God, Heart contents, Heresy, Jesus Christ Alone, Last Days, man's depravity, Obedience to the word, Pride, Protection, Rapture, Religious Non-Regeneration, Rest, Result of depravity, Results of Feminism, results of humanism, Results of paganism, Sin, Submission, Teaching, Tolerance, True nature, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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Lying, Self Delusion, Sexual Sin


“Sin does not stop being sin because you started committing it, nor did God’s hatred of it lessen to any degree”

Think no one knows about your secret sin? You may be surprised to find out that not only does God know, but it shows in your countenance, your attitude, your eyes, like a neon sign flashing “SLAVISH SIN HIDING”. So that leaves you with a choice…continue to be a slave to it, for one is a slave to what has mastered him, or confess it as sin…ALL of your sin, so you can be cleansed of it. The bible says that no one can serve two masters. And you are no exception.

Unconfessed sin leaves everyone who indulges in it wholly unrighteous, and God only hears the prayers of the righteous. No one who IS righteous will seek to keep and cover up their sins….no one. Ever. Your sin has consequences….first on your immortal soul which, in this case, is bound for eternity in Hell, as you nourish and love your idol far more than you love God, and on the ones you seek to hide it from as you destroy anything of value that could possibly be between you and them (for hiding sin is living each day as a total liar, and no liar is capable of anything godly or genuinely relational)….but first and foremost, you sin against a Holy God who will never look the other way and will never excuse it. Your delusions and cowardice and idolatry will certainly not be overlooked or excused. God hates what you are doing. He will hate it still on that day.

You have more to lose than your “pet”….and if you keep at it, God will simply turn you over to your depravity. And you shall be lost forever with no hope of having a mind capable of wanting anything different. Kind of like now, if you are claiming Christ, indulging in private sin, and lying by keeping it under cover. Your mind already doesn’t want the real thing…redemption….for you would loose your sick pet. Stop testing God….He always passes, and you are guaranteed eternal failure. ANd, in the end…ALL will see what you have been doing. As you are rightly judged and sentenced to what you worked so hard to keep deserving. 😦

A good observation is posted below John MacArthur’s words on this subject. I do not know who the writer is, but he is dead on target~AGM†

First…from http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/a214/nothing-safe-about-secret-sin

Jesus’ exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image isSecret Sins everything.

Our Lord taught repeatedly that sin bottled up on the inside, concealed from everyone else’s view, carries the very same guilt as sin that manifests itself in the worst forms of ungodly behavior. Those who hate others are as guilty as those who act out their hatred; and those who indulge in private lusts are as culpable as wanton adulterers (Matt. 5:21-30).

So Christians are not to think of secret sins as somehow less serious and more respectable than the sins everyone sees. Here are three reasons secret sin is especially abhorrent:

1. Because God sees the heart.

Scripture tells us “God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). No sin–not even a whispered curse or a fleeting evil thought–is hidden from the view of God. In fact, if we realized that God himself is the only audience for such secret sins, we might be less inclined to write them off so lightly.

The Bible declares that God will one day judge the secrets of every heart (Rom. 2:16). He “will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (Eccl. 12:14).

Not only that, secret sins will not remain secret. “The Lord [will] bring to light the things hidden in the darkness” (1 Cor. 4:5). Jesus said, “There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops” (Luke 12:2-3). Those who think they can evade shame by sinning in secret will discover one day that open disclosure of their secrets before the very throne of God is the worst shame of all.

It is folly to think we can mitigate our sin by keeping it secret. It is double folly to tell ourselves that we are better than others because we sin in private rather than in public. And it is the very height of folly to convince ourselves that we can get away with sin by covering it up. “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper” (Prov. 28:13).

All sin is an assault against our holy God, whether it is done in public or in secret. And God, who beholds even the innermost secrets of the heart, sees our sin clearly, no matter how well we think we have covered it.

2. Because sin in the mind is a fruit of the same moral defect that produces deeds of sin.

When Jesus said hatred carries the same kind of guilt as murder, and lust is the very essence of adultery, He was not suggesting that there is no difference in degree between sin that takes place in the mind and sin that is acted out. Scripture does not teach that all sins are of equal enormity.

That some sins are worse than others is both patently obvious and thoroughly biblical. Scripture plainly teaches this, for example, when it tells us the sin of Judas was greater than the sin of Pilate (John 19:11).

But in His Sermon on the Mount Jesus was pointing out that anger arises from the same moral defect as murder; and the one who lusts suffers from the same character flaw as the adulterer. Furthermore, those who engage in thought-sins are guilty of violating the same moral precepts as those who commit acts of murder and adultery.

In other words, secret sins of the heart are morally tantamount to the worst kind of evil deeds–even if they are sins of a lesser degree. The lustful person has no right to feel morally superior to a wanton fornicator. The fact that she indulges in lust is proof she is capable of immoral acts as well. The fact that he hates his brother shows that he has murder lurking in his heart.

Christ was teaching us to view our own secret sins with the same moral revulsion we feel for wanton acts of public sin.

3. Because hidden sin involves the compounding sin of hypocrisy.

Those who sin secretly actually intensify their guilt, because they add the sin of hypocrisy to their offense. Hypocrisy is a grave sin in its own right. It also produces an especially debilitating kind of guilt, because by definition hypocrisy entails the concealing of sin. And the only remedy for any kind of sin involves uncovering our guilt through sincere confession.

Hypocrisy therefore permeates the soul with a predisposition against genuine repentance. That is why Jesus referred to hypocrisy as “the leaven of the Pharisees” (Luke 12:1).

Hypocrisy also works directly against the conscience. There’s no way to be hypocritical without searing the conscience. So hypocrisy inevitably makes way for the most vile, soul-coloring, character-damaging secret sins. Thus hypocrisy compounds itself, just like leaven.

Beware that sort of leaven.

No matter who suggests to you that appearances are everything, don’t buy that lie.

As a matter of fact, your secret life is the real litmus test of your character: “As he thinks within himself, so he is” (Prov. 23:7). Do you want to know who you really are? Take a hard look at your private life–especially your innermost thoughts. Gaze into the mirror of God’s Word, and allow it to disclose and correct the real thoughts and motives of your heart.


Related Resources (free):

  • Keeping a Pure Conscience
  • What is Sin?
  • Mourning over Your Sin
******************************************************************

No sin is private. It may be secret but it is not private.

It is a great error to hold, as some do, that each man’s conduct is his own business unless his acts infringe on the rights of others. “My liberty ends where yours begins,” is true, but that is not all the truth. No one ever has the right to commit an evil act, no matter how secret. God wills that men should be free, but not that they be free to commit sin….Coming still closer, we Christians should know that our unchristian conduct cannot be kept in our own back yard. The evil birds of sin fly far and influence many to their everlasting loss. The sin committed in the privacy of the home will have its effect in the assembly of the saints. The minister, the deacon, the teacher who yields to temptation in secret becomes a carrier of moral disease whether he knows it or not. The church will be worse because one member sins. The polluted stream flows out and on, growing wider and darker as it affects more and more persons day after day and year after year. “Lord, this is especially true of us who are leaders in the church. Show to me and my fellow-servants this morning the horror of the consequences of our sin. Keep us pure and faithful, for Your glory. Amen.” (Author Unknown)

Psalm 90:8. You have set our iniquities before you,
    our secret sins in the light of your presence.

“The false convert offers only his/her verbal confession to Christ Jesus, while offering his/her body and mind to sin, death, and satan.”~D Gladden

“The Father did not throw His arms around the prodigal when he was still in the hog pens and in the arms of harlots…you will never know the forgiving mercy of God while you are still wedded to your sins.”

 

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DEMON POSSESSION AND TRUE CONVERSION

18 Tuesday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Christ, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Deliverance, Demons, Doctrine matters!, Easy Believe-ism, End of Days, False Conversion, False Fruit, God's Word, GOSPEL, Heart contents, Jesus Christ Alone, Last Days, man's depravity, Obedience to the word, Pride, Religious Non-Regeneration, Result of depravity, Sin, Submission, Teaching, True nature, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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I have come to the conclusion that we are not always dealing with people who are merely lost, blinded, deceived, and led astray, but with demons.

” Indeed, we have simply many times relabeled them and stashed them away in asylums and correctional facilities. But very many on the loose and existing with their host quite well, from the house next door, to the white house.”~RM

“I have had more than one conversation with demons who blatantly blaspheme the Lord God in all manner of vile speech and wickedness, where I work in prison. But just recently I have come across those who are more clever and deceitful in their approach. Those who are professing Christians. And it was the most sick feeling when I realized just who I was talking to.”~JR 

So many windows the Word gives us, which make clear that we live behind a veil, a veil of sin in a fallen world. Revealing this is not a playground, but a battleground! 
A battleground for the heart, mind and souls of Men, Women and Children.

It is a sick feeling to recognize what is really present. And the presence is undeniable….except to the one who is the host.Never confuse mental assent with true conversion, you just may end up worse then when you first heard the truth~AGM†

“When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, “I will return to my house from which I came” ; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes, and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first.”


By John MAcArthur

The collective teaching of Scripture is that demons can never spatially indwell a true believer. A clear implication of 2 Corinthians 6, for example, is that the indwelling Holy Spirit could never cohabit with demons:

What harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell in them and walk among them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people”  (vv. 15–16).

In Colossians 1:13, Paul says God “delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.”  Salvation brings true deliverance and protection from Satan. In Romans 8:37, Paul says we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:57, he says God gives us the victory. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he says God always leads us in triumph. In 1 John 2:13, John says we have overcome the evil one. And, in 4:4, he says the indwelling Holy Spirit is greater than Satan. How could anyone affirm those glorious truths, yet believe demons can indwell genuine believers?

Many of the leading voices in today’s spiritual warfare movement are too quick to hail every profession of faith in Christ as proof of salvation. That reflects the easy-believism that has swept this generation.

A thorough biblical understanding of the doctrine of conversion makes it clear that demons could never indwell or possess a believer. Jonathan Edwards wrote about true conversion:

Scripture describes conversion in terms which imply or signify a change of nature: being born again, becoming new creatures, rising from the dead, being renewed in the spirit of the mind, dying to sin and living to righteousness, putting off the old man and putting on the new, becoming partakers of the divine nature, and so on.

It follows that if there is no real and lasting change in people who think they are converted, their religion is worthless, whatever their experiences may be. Conversion is the turning of the whole man from sin to God. God can restrain unconverted people from sin, of course, but in conversion he turns the very heart and nature from sin to holiness. The converted person becomes the enemy of sin.

What, then, shall we make of a person who says he has experienced conversion, but whose religious emotions soon die away, leaving him much the same person as he was before? He seems as selfish, worldly, foolish, perverse and un-Christian as ever. This speaks against him louder than any religious experiences can speak for him.

In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision, neither a dramatic experience nor a quiet one, neither a wonderful testimony nor a dull one, counts for anything. The only thing that counts is a new creation (The Experience That Counts! p. 99).

In Matthew 12, Christ rebuked those who were following Him just for the sake of witnessing great signs and wonders:

When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places, seeking rest, and does not find it. Then it says, “I will return to my house from which I came” ; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. Then it goes, and takes along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation (vv. 43–45).

Instead of responding with spectacular signs and wonders, Christ addressed their need for salvation. Many people appear to have their lives in order. But in reality, they have not trusted Christ as Savior and Lord. Their souls are “unoccupied” — that is, the Holy Spirit does not indwell them. Thus they are open to demonic invasion. That cannot be true of those whose bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 6:16).

According to 1 Peter 1:5, when Christ reigns in a person’s life, that person is kept by God’s power. As a result, “the evil one does not touch him”  (1 John 5:18). When the Holy Spirit inhabits a person, no demon can set up house as a squatter. Indwelling by demons is only evidence of a lack of genuine salvation.

If one is satanically blinded to their true state, only God can break through. A false convert is prideful first and foremost. Just like the one who is their father, according to God, the father of lies who was thrown out of heaven because of his pride. One who is indwelled with such a demonic spirit can only be set free by the Lord God. Still…I will post a link that may help anyway. May those who have ears hear the truth and truly repent and be regenerated and set free in Christ.

http://www.whatifimpretending.com/

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Consider Your Ways

17 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Apostates, Biblical Evangelism, Christ, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Deliverance, Doctrine matters!, Easy Believe-ism, End of Days, False Conversion, False Fruit, God's Word, Hatred for Christ, Hatred for God, Heart contents, Jesus Christ Alone, Last Days, man's depravity, Obedience to the word, Pride, Religious Non-Regeneration, Result of depravity, Results of Feminism, results of humanism, Results of paganism, Sin, Submission, Teaching, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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There is a generation of Christians in this age who grieve me to the heart. They make my blood run cold. I cannot understand them. For anything that man’s eye can see, they make no progress. They never seem to get on. Years roll on, and they are just the same — the same besetting sins, the same infirmities of disposition, the same weakness in trial, the same chilliness of heart, the same apathy, the same faint resemblance to Christ; but no new knowledge, no increased interest in the kingdom, no freshness, no new strength, no new fruits, as if they grew. Are they not forgetting that growth is the proof of life — that even the tree grows, and the snail and the sloth move? Are they not forgetting how awfully far a man may go, and yet not be a true Christian? He may be like a wax figure, the very image of a believer, and yet not have within him the breath of God — he may have a name to live, and be dead after all.

Brethren, these are the reasons why I write so strongly. I want your Christianity to be unmistakable. I want you all to grow really, and to do more than others. Let us all henceforth remember Sardis and Laodicea — let us resolve to be more holy and more bright. Let us bury our idols. Let us put away all strange gods. Let us cast out the old leaven. Let us lay aside every weight and besetting sin. Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and perfect holiness in the fear of God. Let us renew our covenant with our beloved Lord. Let us aim at the highest and best things. Let us resolve by God’s blessing to be more holy, and then I know and am persuaded we shall be more useful and more happy.

J.C.Ryle
Consider Your Ways
http://gracegems.org/23/consider_your_ways.htm

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You Might Be a False Convert If…

17 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Apostates, Biblical Evangelism, Christ, Christian Activism, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Deliverance, Doctrine matters!, Easy Believe-ism, End of Days, False Christs, False Conversion, False Fruit, Fear, God's Word, GOSPEL, Hatred for Christ, Hatred for God, Heart contents, Heresy, Jesus Christ Alone, Last Days, man's depravity, Obedience to the word, Pride, Protection, Religious Non-Regeneration, Rest, Result of depravity, Results of Feminism, results of humanism, Results of paganism, Sin, Submission, Teaching, Tolerance, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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An excellent breakdown of the truth. Galatians 6:7….”Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption (decay), but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.…”

Why did Paul say, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”? (II Corinthians 13:5)

The sad, hard truth is that you may be able to fool yourself, but you cannot fool God. And those who really know you, are not fooled either. Swallow your pride and take a good long truthful look at this list…do you see yourself in it? Anywhere? If you do…repent, genuinely, and surrender to Christ as Lord. for you do not know that you will be given another opportunity. Now is the time of salvation.~AGM†

FalseConvert

Most people reading this blog will profess Christ as their Lord and Savior. Most may very well be true followers of Jesus Christ. But since most professing Christians in America are not true Christians – given the apostate condition and man-centered theology of American evangelicalism, coupled with the reality the average person on the street cannot communicate the Gospel in a country where nearly 80% of the population professes Christianity (1) (to say nothing of the moral depravity of our nation where 20% of the mothers aborting their children are professing evangelicals (2)) – there is a decent chance that some readers opening up this article will have a false profession of faith and therefore remain condemned under the wrath of God. If so, this article is for them, or perhaps even for you.

I get it. You responded to an altar call when you were 8 years old, or 30. You asked Jesus into your heart and you really meant it. You made a decision to follow Christ, and have ‘recommitted your life to Christ’ five times since. You were not ashamed when you stood up in the crowd to repeat the preacher’s sinner prayer. You were among the sea of people flooding the baseball field, proving your new commitment at the popular evangelistic crusade. You have been baptized, maybe twice for good measure. Your baptism might have even been at one of those nifty spontaneous baptisms, where hundreds of others were baptized with you. So many share a similar experience as you, it must be real.

I get it, because I share a similar experience, but sadly I lived as a false christian for 22 years. Maybe this is you too, but you don’t really know it. Maybe this article will help you see you’re not really saved at all. And maybe, as it is my hope, you will examine yourself as to whether you are truly in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). If you find that you may not be, let’s talk about that. May the Lord’s grace open your eyes as He did mine five years ago.

Please consider:

You might be a false convert if…

  • You think you are a good person (Romans 3:12).
  • You control your own life and are submitted to your own will (Luke 9:23).
  • You call Jesus ‘Lord’ but do not do what He says (Luke 6:46; 1 John 2:4-6).
  • You think you’re a believer but not a disciple, as if being a disciple is a 2nd step of commitment for the Christian (Luke 14:25-33).
  • You do not love the brethren as evidenced by your lack of fellowship with them (John 13:35; 1 John 3:14; 1 John 5:1-2).
  • You are not submitted and committed to a local church (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Peter 5:5).
  • You have not departed from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19).
  • Your habitual reaction when confronted with biblical truth with regards to personal sin is the 11th commandment, “Thou shall not judge” (___________).
  • You think you might be a “carnal christian” (Galatians 5:24; 1 John 1:6; 1 John 3:6).
  • You are not willing to cut off the things that cause you to sin (Matthew 5:29-30).
  • You cohabitate with your boyfriend, girlfriend,  or fiancee, defiling what is supposed to be the “marriage bed” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-8; Hebrews 13:4).
  • You condone or promote in any way the things God hates such as abortion or homosexuality, or endorse politicians who fight for their legalities (Psalm 1:1-2; Psalm 119:104, 163; Proverbs 6:16-19; Romans 1:24-32).
  • You cherry pick which parts of the Bible you believe to be true and applicable to your life, thus refusing to submit to passages you deem outdated or irrelevant (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
  • Your idea of worship is jamming to the Top 40 or favorite classic rock song by your megachurch’s relevant hipster band on Sunday morning (John 4:23-24; Hebrews 12:28-29)
  • You do not hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).
  • Your character is consistent with the old man instead of the new man (Colossians 1:1-17).
  • You love your sin (John 3:19).
  • You habitually practice sin (1 John 3:1-10).
  • You are a mere hearer of the Word (James 1:22).
  • You love your own life more than Christ (Matthew 10:39).
  • You believe in any form of sinless perfection (1 John 1:8-2:2).
  • You believe Christians are not governed by law to which they are to obey (Romans 6:1-2; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 5:3).
  • You are a gossiper and slanderer, and sow discord among brethren (Romans 16:17-18; Proverbs 6:19; 1 Peter 2:1-3).
  • You are not teachable (Matthew 5:5; Matthew 11:28-30).
  • You are a drunkard, fornicator, adulterer, a liar, a coward, an idolater, a murderer at heart, and a blasphemer (Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Revelation 21:8).
  • You habitually harbor anger and resentment, and refuse to forgive those who have sinned against you (Ephesians 4:25-32; Colossians 3:8, 13; Matthew 6:14-15).
  • You are a friend of the world and an enemy of God, in fact, you hate Him by evidence of your sin and friendship with the world (James 4:4; Romans 1:30).
  • You are a slave to sin and hostile to the Law of God (John 8:34; Romans 8:7)
  • The works of the flesh are manifest in you (Galatians 5:19-21)
  • You love the world and the things of the world, and the love of the Father is not in you (1 John 2:15).
  • The world loves you (John 15:18-19).
  • You are a child of wrath and live to gratify the lusts of your flesh (Ephesians 2:3).
  • You follow the ways of the world and are controlled by the god of this world (Ephesians 2:2).
  • You do not understand the things of God, nor can you (1 Corinthians 2:14).
  • You do not seek God (Romans 3:11).
  • You walk in darkness (1 John 1:6).
  • You live according to your sinful nature and your mind is on what your nature desires (Romans 8:5).
  • You live as an enemy of the cross, your mind is set on earthly things, and your end is destruction (Philippians 3:18-19).
  • You are ashamed of the name of Jesus and His words (Luke 9:26).
  • You are storing your treasures on the earth (Matthew 6:19-21).
  • You try to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
  • You live in repentantless worldly sorrow, which brings death (2 Corinthians 7:10).
  • You claim to know God but by your actions you deny Him (Titus 1:16).
  • You do not love the truth and take pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
  • You are consumed by the cares of this world and with fulfilling your desires for the pleasures of life (Luke 8:14).

This is just a small sampling of Scripture’s testimony of life before Jesus Christ. If you find yourself described above in any measure, you might be a false convert.

Do not be deceived, friend. The longer you have been a professing Christian while remaining in the conditions represented above increasingly speaks to your life’s reality that a bad tree cannot produce good fruit (Luke 6:43-45). It is not that your profession lacks maturity; rather, your profession lacks genuineness. Your persistence in sin gives every indication that you are still dead in your sins and remain on the path of destruction (Matthew 7:13-14).

Consider the beauty and worth of Christ for you to truly repent from your sins and truly follow Him. This is a good place to start: Do You Know Him?

The alternative is for you to continue deceiving yourself, having rejected this warning, and wake up in hell one day to get what you deserve in the holy justice of the Lord Jesus Christ. He will not be your Savior as you presumed, but your Judge and Executioner. Make haste, and examine yourself today.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

5For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. 10Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 11For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:3-11

1 John 1:5-8
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 3:4-10
Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

http://gospelspam.com/you-might-be-a-false-convert-if/

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Answering the Key Questions About Elders

14 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Apologetics, Apostates, Christ, Christian focus, contending for the faith, Doctrine matters!, End of Days, False Christs, False Fruit, Fear, God's Word, GOSPEL, Heart contents, Heresy, Jesus Christ Alone, man's depravity, Obedience to the word, Pride, Rest, Result of depravity, Results of Feminism, results of humanism, Results of paganism, Sin, Submission, Teaching, Tolerance, True Obedience to God, Truth, Uncategorized, Unchanging Word of God, Undeniable Truth, Watchman

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Back for a quick moment with  a post that breaks down eldership scripturally. Recently, we had a supremely unpleasant surprise when looking deeper into a new church we had found, which from outside appearances, seemed pretty solid. Until we noticed….no elders…just a pastor (who biblcally should be one of many elders) and two paid staff who also served as “deacons”. Hence…a church set up UNLIKE we are shown in the New Testment…disobedient really…with no real pastoral accountability. Every church is to be set up with a plurality of elders, and specifically qualified and called elders they are to be. Not so much anymore it seems. Either they are unqualified, non-existent, or being involved in the financial aspects of the church instead of the discipling, teaching encouraging, admonishing, etc., that the bible calls them to. So with that fresh in mind, I hope that this will give you a proper knowledge of how the church is to be set up, and what are the scriptural functions of eldership. If it is less then this or different than this…it is unbiblical. Which, sadly when you look around, is no great surprise. We live in interesting times…As John MacArthur rightly states:

“Much can be said for the benefits of leadership made up of a plurality of godly men. Their combined counsel and wisdom helps assure that decisions are not self-willed or self-serving to a single individual (see Proverbs 11:14). In fact, one-man leadership is characteristic of cults, not of the church.” 

This may seem long to read…but it is definitely worth it….so please settle in and learn what the bible says about this extremely important, and all too often misappropriated office. Now…back to break for this sister. ♥~AGM†

One of the distinctives of the ministry over the years at Grace Community Church has been an emphasis on the leadership of elders. Grace Church has been uniquely blessed by the Lord with a group of consecrated men who, through unyielding commitment to the Word of God, have provided strong, unified leadership, and been a vital key to the blessing and growth Grace Church has experienced.

Twentieth-century American evangelicalism, with its heritage of democratic values and long history of congregational church government, tended to view the concept of elder rule with suspicion. Some are still vocal in characterizing it as a new and subversive concept that threatens the very life of the church. Yet I find when I speak with pastors and other church leaders from all over the world, the most frequently asked questions I get are about elders. At our semiannual Shepherds’ Conferences, the most popular seminars invariably are those that deal with the issue of elders. Pastors want to know what elder rule is, and if government by elders genuinely strengthens the church, how they can implement it in their churches.

Proper biblical government by elders does strengthen the church, and the biblical norm for church leadership is a plurality of God-ordained elders. Furthermore, it is the only pattern for church leadership given in the New Testament. Nowhere in Scripture do we find a local assembly ruled by majority opinion, or by one pastor.

I am confident that a return to the biblical pattern of leadership would do much to revitalize the contemporary church. Thus whatever can be done to clear up some of the confusion and dispel the misconceptions about elder rule is worthwhile. I have written this article as an overview of the biblical data on elders. My hope is that it will serve both as an introduction to those unfamiliar with the concept of elders, and as a reminder to the rest of us to establish ourselves in the truth (see 2 Peter 1:12-13).

Answering the Key Questions About Elders

The local church, like every other earthly dimension of God’s Kingdom, depends on its leadership. The strength, health, productivity, and fruitfulness of a church directly reflect the quality of its leadership.

Under the plan God has ordained for the church, leadership is a position of humble, loving service. Those who would lead God’s people must exemplify purity, sacrifice, diligence, and devotion. And with the tremendous responsibility inherent in leading the flock of God comes potential for either great blessing or great judgment. Good leaders are doubly blessed; poor leaders are doubly chastened, for “from everyone who has been given much, much will be required” (Luke 12:48). James 3:1 says, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

Biblically, the focal point of all church leadership is the elder. It is the elders who are charged with teaching, feeding, and protecting the church, and it is the elders who are accountable to God on behalf of the church. Yet as I meet elders and pastors from across the country, I find that many do not understand either the gravity or the potential of their role. Being uncertain of their function or their relationship to the Body, they are greatly hindered in their ability to minister effectively. With that in mind, let me suggest ten key questions, the answers to which are fundamental for a proper understanding of the ministry of elders.

What is the proper understanding of the term elder?

The word elder is of Old Testament Hebrew origin. The primary word for elder, zaqen, was used, for example, in Numbers 11:16 and Deuteronomy 27:1, of the seventy tribal leaders who assisted Moses. There it refers to a special category of men who were set apart for leadership–much like a senate–in Israel. Deuteronomy 1:9-18 indicates that these men were charged with the responsibility of judging the people. Moses communicated through them to the people (Exodus 19:7; Deuteronomy 31:9). They led the Passover (Exodus 12:21) and perhaps other elements of worship.

Later, the elders of Israel were specifically involved in the leadership of cities (1 Samuel 11:3; 16:4; and 30:26). Still, their function was decision making–applying wisdom to the lives of the people in resolving conflicts, giving direction, and generally overseeing the details of an orderly society.

The Old Testament refers to them as “elders of Israel” (1 Samuel 4:3); “elders of the land” (1 Kings 20:7); “elders of Judah” (2 Kings 23:1); “elders…of each city” (Ezra 10:14); and “elders of the congregation” (Judges 21:16). They served in the capacity of local magistrates, and as governors over the tribes (Deuteronomy 16:18; 19:12; 31:28).

Another Hebrew word for elder is sab, used only five times in the Old Testament, all in the book of Ezra. There it refers to the group of Jewish leaders in charge of rebuilding the Temple after the Exile.

The Greek word for elder, presbuteros, is used about seventy times in the New Testament. Like zaqen, which means “aged,” or “bearded”; sab, which means “gray-headed”; and our English word elder, presbuteros has reference to mature age. For example, in Acts 2:17, Peter quotes Joel 2:28: “And your old men shall dream dreams.” The Hebrew word used for “old men” in Joel is zaqen, and the Greek word used in Acts ispresbuteros. Used in that sense, elder does not constitute an official title; it simply means “an older man.”

In 1 Timothy 5:2, the feminine form of presbuteros is used to refer to older women. There, older women are contrasted with younger ones: “[Appeal to] the older women as mothers, and the younger women as sisters, in all purity.” In that context, the term again signifies only mature age, not an office in the church.

First Peter 5:5 contains a similar usage: “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders.” There, as in 1 Timothy 5:2, the word is used to contrast age and youth. In such a context, presbuteros is generally understood to mean only “an older person,” not necessarily an officeholder of any kind. That is the primary meaning of the term in general Greek usage.

In the time of Christ, presbuteros was a familiar term. It is used twenty-eight times in the New Testament to refer to a group of ex officio spiritual leaders of Israel: “the chief priests and elders” (Matthew 27:3); “the scribes and elders” (27:41); “officers of the temple and elders” (Luke 22:52); and “rulers and elders of the people” (Acts 4:8). In each of those instances and every similar usage, presbuteros refers to recognized spiritual leaders in Israel who aren’t defined as priests of any kind. These seem to be the Sanhedrin, the highest ruling body in Judaism in Jesus’ time.

Matthew 15:2 and Mark 7:5 use the phrase “tradition of the elders” (cf. Mark 7:3). Therepresbuteros refers to an ancestry of spiritual fathers who passed down principles that governed religious practice. These were the teachers who determined Jewish tradition. In this sense, elder is equivalent to rabbi and may or may not signify official status.

There are twelve occurrences of presbuteros in the book of Revelation. All of them refer to the twenty-four elders who appear to be unique representatives of the redeemed people of God from all ages.

How is the term elder used in reference to the church?

The New Testament church was initially Jewish, so it would be natural for it to adopt the concept of elder rule was adopted for use in the early church. Elder was the only commonly used Jewish term for leadership that was free from any connotation of either the monarchy or the priesthood. That is significant, because in the church each believer is a co-regent with Christ, so there could be no earthly king. And unlike national Israel, the church has no specially designated earthly priesthood, for all believers are priests. So of all the Jewish concepts of leadership, the elder exemplifies the kind of leadership ordained for the church.

The elders of Israel were mature men, heads of families (Exodus 12:21); able men of strong moral character, fearing God and possessing truth and integrity (Exodus 18:20-21); men full of the Holy Spirit (Numbers 11:16-17); capable men of wisdom, discernment, and experience–impartial and courageous men who would intercede, teach, and judge righteously and fairly (Deuteronomy 1:13-17). All of those characteristics were inherent in the New Testament term presbuteros. The use of that term to describe church leaders emphasizes the maturity of their spiritual experience, as shown in the strength and consistency of their moral character.

Presbuteros is used nearly twenty times in Acts and the epistles in reference to a unique group of leaders in the church. From the very earliest beginnings of the church, it was clear that a group of mature spiritual leaders was identified to have responsibility for the assembly. The church at Antioch, for example, where believers were first called “Christians,” sent Barnabas and Saul to the elders at Jerusalem with a gift to be distributed to the needy brethren in Judea (Acts 11:29-30). That demonstrates both that elders existed in the church at that very early date, and that the believers at Antioch recognized their authority.

Since the church at Antioch grew out of the ministry at Jerusalem, elders probably existed there as well. In fact, it is likely that Paul himself functioned as an elder at Antioch, before he stepped out in the role of an apostle. He is listed in Acts 13:1 as one of that church’s teachers.

Elders played a dominant role in the Council of Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 15 (see vv. 2, 4, 6, 22, 23; and 16:4). Obviously, they were very influential in the foundational life of the early church.

As Paul and Barnabas began to preach in new areas, and as the church began to extend itself, the process of identifying church leaders became more clearly defined. And throughout the New Testament, as the church developed, leaders were called elders.

As early in the biblical narrative as Acts 14, we see that one of the key steps in establishing a new church was to identify and appoint elders for church leadership. “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed” (Acts 14:23).

Nearly every church we know of in the New Testament is specifically said to have had elders. For example, Acts 20:17 says, “From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church.” It is significant that the church at Ephesus had elders, because all the churches of Asia Minor–such as those listed in Revelation 1:11–were extensions of the ministry at Ephesus. We can assume that those churches also identified their leadership after the Ephesian pattern–a plurality of elders.

Peter wrote to the scattered believers in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, “I exhort the elders among you…shepherd the flock of God” (1 Peter 5:1-2). Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia were not cities, but rather territories. Thus, Peter was writing to a number of churches scattered all over Asia. All of them had elders.

How is the elder related to the bishop and the pastor?

Bishops and pastors are not distinct from elders; the terms are simply different ways of identifying the same people. The Greek word for bishop is episkopos, from which the Episcopal Church gets its name. The Greek word for pastor is poimen. The textual evidence indicates that all three terms refer to the same office. The qualifications for a bishop, listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and those for an elder, in Titus 1:6-9, are unmistakably parallel. In fact, in Titus, Paul uses both terms to refer to the same man (1:5, 7).

First Peter 5:1-2 brings all three terms together. Peter instructs the elders to be good bishops as they pastor: “Therefore, I exhort the elders [presbuteros] among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd [pomaino] the flock of God among you, exercising oversight [episkopeo] not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God.”

Acts 20 also uses all three terms interchangeably. In verse 17, Paul assembles all the elders [presbuteros] of the church to give them his farewell message. In verse 28, he says, “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers [episkopos], to shepherd [pomaino] the church of God.”

In general usage, I prefer the term elder because it seems to be free of many of the connotations and nuances of meanings that have been imposed on both bishop andpastor by our culture.

Episkopos , the word for bishop, means “overseer,” or “guardian.” The New Testament uses episkopos five times. In 1 Peter 2:25, Jesus Christ is called the episkopos of our souls. That is, He is the One who has the clearest overview of us, who understands us best, and He is “the Shepherd and Guardian of [our] souls.” The other four uses ofepiskopos have reference to leaders in the church.

Episkopos is the secular Greek culture’s equivalent to the historic Hebrew idea of elders. Bishops were those appointed by the emperors to lead captured or newly-founded city-states. The bishop was responsible to the emperor, but oversight was delegated to him. He functioned as a commissioner, regulating the affairs of the new colony or acquisition.

Thus episkopos suggested two ideas to the first-century Greek mind: responsibility to a superior power, and an introduction to a new order of things. Gentile converts would immediately understand those concepts in the term.

It is interesting to trace the biblical uses of episkopos. It appears in the book of Acts only once, near the end (Acts 20:28). Of course, at that time, there were relatively few Gentiles in the church, and so the term was not commonly used. But apparently as Gentiles were saved and the church began to lose its Jewish orientation, the Greek culture’s wordepiskopos was used more frequently to describe those who functioned as elders (1 Timothy 3:1).

The New Testament bishop, or overseer, is in a unique leadership role in the church, specifically responsible for teaching (1 Timothy 3:2), feeding, protecting, and generally nurturing the flock (Acts 20:28). Biblically, there is no difference in the role of an elder and that of a bishop; the two terms refer to the same group of leaders. Episkoposemphasizes the function; presbuteros, the character.

Poimen , the word for pastor, or shepherd, is used a number of times in the New Testament, but Ephesians 4:11 is the only place in the King James Version where it is translated “pastor.” Every other time it appears in the Greek texts, it is translated “shepherd” in the English version.

Two of the three times it appears in the epistles, poimen refers to Christ. Hebrews 13:20-21 is a benediction: “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd [poimen] of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will.” First Peter 2:25 says, “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd [poimen] and Guardian [episkopos] of your souls.”

In Ephesians 4:11, pastor [poimen] is used with the word teacher. The Greek construction there indicates that the two terms go together–we might hyphenate them in English (“pastor-teacher”). The emphasis is on the pastor’s ministry of teaching.

Poimen , then, emphasizes the pastoral role of caring and feeding, although the concept of leadership is also inherent in the picture of a shepherd. The focus of the term poimenis on the man’s attitude. To be qualified as a pastor, a man must have a shepherd’s caring heart.

So the term elder emphasizes who the man is. Bishop speaks of what he does. And pastordeals with how he feels. All three terms are used of the same church leaders, and all three identify those who feed and lead the church, but each has a unique emphasis.

What is the role of an elder?

As the apostolic era came to a close, the office of elder emerged as the highest level of local church leadership. Thus it carried a great amount of responsibility. The elders were charged with the care and feeding, as well as the spiritual guidance, of the entire church. There was no higher court of appeal, and no greater resource to know the mind and heart of God with regard to issues in the church.

First Timothy 3:1 says, “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer [episkopos], it is a fine work he desires to do.” In verse 5, Paul says that the work of an episkopos is to “take care of the church of God.” The clear implication is that a bishop’s primary responsibility is that of being caretaker for the church.

That involves a number of more specific duties. Perhaps the most obvious is the function of overseeing the affairs of the local church. First Timothy 5:17 says, “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor.” The Greek word translated “rule” in that verse is proistemi, used to speak of the elders’ responsibilities four times in 1 Timothy (3:4, 5, 12; 5:17), once in 1 Thessalonians 5:12 (where it is translated, “have charge over”), and once in Romans 12:8, where ruling is listed as a spiritual gift. Proistemiliterally means “to stand first,” and it speaks of the duty of general oversight common to all elders.

As those who rule in the church, elders are not subject to any higher earthly authority outside the local assembly. Their authority over the church is not by force or dictatorial power, but by precept and example (Hebrews 13:7).

Nor are the elders to operate by majority rule or vote. If all the elders are guided by the same Spirit and all have the mind of Christ, there should be unanimity in the decisions they make (1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:3; Philippians 1:27; 2:2). If there is division, all the elders should study, pray, and seek the will of God together until consensus is achieved. Unity and harmony in the church begin with this principle.

With the elders lies the responsibility to preach and teach (1 Timothy 5:17). They are to determine doctrinal issues for the church and have the responsibility of proclaiming the truth to the congregation. First Timothy 3:2-7, listing the spiritual qualifications of the overseer, gives only one qualification that relates to a specific function: he must be “able to teach.” All the other qualifications are personal character qualities.

Titus 1:7, 9 also emphasizes the significance of the elder’s responsibility as a teacher: “For the overseer must…be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” Already in the church, the threat of false teachers was so great that a key qualification for leadership was an understanding of sound doctrine and the ability to teach it. Exhort in that verse is the Greek word parakaleo, which literally means “to call near.” From its uses in the New Testament, we see that the ministry of exhortation has several elements. It involves persuasion (Acts 2:14; 14:22; Titus 1:9), pleading (2 Corinthians 8:17), comfort (1 Thessalonians 2:11), encouragement (1 Thessalonians 4:1), and patient reiterating of important doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2).

The elders are a resource for those who seek partnership in prayer. James wrote, “Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14).

Acts 20:28 says that another function of an elder is shepherding: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God.” Involved in the concept of shepherding are the twin responsibilities of feeding and protecting the flock. Verses 29-30 reemphasize the fact that the protecting ministry of the overseer is essential to counter the threat of false teachers.

The elder acts as a caring and loving shepherd over the flock, but never in Scripture is it spoken of as “his flock,” or “your flock.” It is the “flock of God” (1 Peter 5:2), and he is merely a steward–a caretaker for the possession of God.

Elders, as the spiritual overseers of the flock, are to determine church policy (Acts 15:22); oversee (Acts 20:28); ordain others (1 Timothy 4:14); rule, teach, and preach (1 Timothy 5:17); exhort and refute (Titus 1:9); and act as shepherds, setting an example for all (1 Peter 5:1-3). Those responsibilities put elders at the core of the work of the New Testament church.

Understandably, elders cannot afford to allow themselves to be consumed with business details, public relations, minor financial matters, and other particulars of the day-to-day operation of the church. They are to devote themselves first of all to prayer and to the ministry of the Word, and select deacons to handle the lesser matters (cf. Acts 6:3-4).

What are the qualifications of an elder?

First Timothy 3 and Titus 1 identify the qualifications of an elder. First Timothy 3:1-7says,

It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

There, the single, overarching qualification of which the rest are supportive is that he is to be above reproach. That is, he must be a leader who cannot be accused of anything sinful. All the other qualifications, except perhaps teaching and management skill, only amplify that idea.

An elder must be above reproach in his marital life, his social life, his family life, his business life, and his spiritual life. “The husband of one wife” (lit. “a one-woman man”) does not mean simply that he is married to one woman–that would not be a spiritual qualification. Rather, it means an elder is to be a man who is utterly single-minded in his devotion to his wife. If he is not married, he is not to be the type who is flirtatious. “Temperate” seems to imply the idea of a balanced, moderate life. “Prudent” is another word for “wise.” “Respectable” means he has dignity and the respect of his peers. “Hospitable” means that he loves strangers–not necessarily that he has a lot of dinner parties, but rather that he is not cliquish. “Able to teach” is didaktitkos, or “skilled in teaching.” Other characteristics are that he be “not addicted to wine” (Timothy himself apparently drank none; 1 Timothy 5:23); not “pugnacious” (not one who picks fights or is physically abusive); “gentle”; “peaceable”; and “free from the love of money.”

All those must be proven, demonstrated qualities and abilities, and the first place he must manifest them is in his home. He must manage his own household well, and keep his children under control with dignity. “Household” in verse 5 probably refers to an extended household, including servants, lands, possessions, and may include in-laws and other relatives. All those were elements of a household in the first century, and a great deal of leadership skill and spiritual character were required to manage them well. If a man could not manage his household, how could he be charged with managing the church?

The qualifications of an elder, then, go far beyond good moral characteristics. An elder must be demonstrably skilled as a teacher and manager. If anything in his life signifies a weakness in those areas, he is disqualified. If he is in debt, if his children are rebellious, if anything in his handling of business affairs is not above reproach, he cannot be an elder.

Understandably, he cannot be a new convert, for it takes time for him to mature, as well as time to examine his life and evaluate his qualifications. In addition, elevating a new convert to a position of leadership runs the risk of making him become conceited.

To wrap all that up, he must have an impeccable reputation with those outside the church. His business and social activities in the community must also be above reproach.

In Titus 1:5-9, Paul lists similar qualifications. Writing to Titus, with whom he had charged the responsibility of overseeing the appointment of elders on the island of Crete, he says:

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

Most of those qualifications either echo or parallel the ones given in 1 Timothy. Again Paul says that an elder is to be a one-woman man, having children who believe and whose lives are not characterized by rebellion or dissipation, which is sinful indulgence. In other words, his children are not rebelling against him or the values of a righteous home and family, and they are not living lives of profligacy.

The overseer must be “above reproach as God’s steward.” Again, that implies that he is proven in the ministry already. He is “not self-willed,” seeking his own things. He is “not quick-tempered,” “not addicted to wine,” and “not pugnacious,” or violent. He does not seek to get money through illicit or questionable means. He is “hospitable,” fond of what is good, and “sensible,” or discreet. He is righteous, devoted to God, and “self-controlled.”

And in addition to all that, he must demonstrate skill in handling the Word of God so that he can both “exhort in sound doctrine” and “refute those who contradict” it.

The two lists of qualifications are strikingly similar. Notice the parallels and the differences:

1 Timothy 3 Titus 1
· above reproach (v. 2) · above reproach (v. 6)
· the husband of one wife (v. 2) · the husband of one wife (v. 6)
· temperate (v. 2) · self-controlled
· prudent (v. 2) · sensible
· respectable (v. 2)
· hospitable (v. 2) · hospitable (v. 8)
· able to teach (v. 2) · able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict
(v. 9)
· not addicted to wine (v. 3) · not addicted to wine (v. 7)
· not pugnacious (v. 3) · not pugnacious (v. 7)
· gentle (v. 3)
· peaceable (v. 3)
· free from the love of money (v. 3) · not fond of sordid gain (v. 7)
· ruling his household well (v. 4) · above reproach as God’s steward (v. 7)
· having children under
control with dignity (v. 4)
· having children who are not accused of dissipation or rebellion (v. 6)
· not a new convert (v. 6)
· of good reputation outside
the church (v. 7)
· not self-willed (v. 7)
· not quick-tempered (v. 7)
· loving what is good (v. 8)
· just (v. 8)
· devout (v. 8)

No provision is made for women to serve as elders. First Timothy 2:11-12 says, “A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.” Women are to be under the authority of elders, excluded from teaching men or holding positions of authority over them.

The reasons women must submit to the leadership of men are not cultural, nor do they reflect a Pauline prejudice, as some claim. Rather, the reason is rooted in the order of creation: “For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve” (v. 13). The Fall of man confirmed the order: “And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression” (v. 14).

The balance of influence comes through the woman’s responsibility of bearing and nurturing children (v. 15).

How are elders to be ordained?

The New Testament clearly indicates that elders were uniquely set apart or appointed to their office. The term normally used for the appointing of elders in the New Testament iskathistemi, which means “to ordain.”‘ The concept of ordination implies official recognition by the leadership of the church and a public announcement setting men aside for special ministry.

In 1 Timothy 4:14, Paul says to Timothy, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery.”

Interestingly, the laying on of hands comes from the Old Testament sacrificial system. When a sacrifice was given, the hands of the offerer were placed on the sacrifice, to show identification. So the laying on of hands became a means by which one could identify himself with another.

In the same way, the New Testament ordination ritual demonstrated solidarity between the elders and the one on whom they laid their hands. It was a visible means of saying, “We commend you to the ministry. We stand with you, support you, and affirm your right to function in a position of leadership in this church.”

Paul writes to warn Timothy, “Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin” (1 Timothy 5:22). That emphasizes the seriousness of the statement of solidarity. In other words, Paul is saying, “If you lay hands on a man who is sinning, and thereby ordain him to the pastorate, you have entered into his sin. If you don’t want to be a participant in sin, don’t fail to seek the mind of the Lord in the process.”

A man should be considered for ordination only after he has proved himself suitable for a ministry of leadership through a period during which he is tested. Then he may betempered for a time, during which he is observed functioning in a limited position of delegated oversight. If he demonstrates capability in leadership and loyalty to the message, he can be publicly acknowledged as one who is to be trusted in the service of leadership. The church should have men in this proving process as it looks to the future.

Biblically, the laying on of hands was done by the recognized leaders of a church. In this way they identified themselves with those who were becoming leaders. But the process of identifying leaders may also have involved the people. Acts 14:23 says, “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” The word for “appointed” in that verse ischeirotoneo, which literally means “to choose by raising hands.” It is the same word used to describe how votes were taken in the Athenian legislature. It came to mean “to appoint.”

Some feel that the use of cheirotoneo implies that a congregational vote by show of hands was taken. That is forcing the word. The context of Acts 14:23 indicates that only Barnabas and Paul (the antecedents of the pronoun they) were involved in the choosing.

Second Corinthians 8:19 uses cheirotoneo to describe the appointment of an unnamed brother “appointed by the churches” to travel with Paul. There the plural “churches” indicates that he was selected not by a single congregational vote, but rather by the consensus of the churches of Macedonia–probably as represented by their leaders.

So using the term cheirotoneo in an exaggerated, literal way is not sufficient to support the idea of the election of elders by congregational vote, although the assent of the congregation may be implied.

Acts 6:5 is often submitted as proof for congregational selection: “The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.” Note, however, that those chosen were not called elders. They were servers whose task was to free the apostles for spiritual leadership. And the people brought them to the apostles for approval–not the reverse (v. 6). The congregation recognized those men as godly and qualified men, but the apostles appointed them to their task.

The New Testament church is seen in transition. Patterns of church leadership developed as the first-century church matured. We can trace three steps in the process of ordaining leaders. Initially, it was the apostles who selected and ordained elders (Acts 14:23). After that, elders were appointed by those who were close to the apostles and involved in their ministry. For example, Paul specifically charged Titus with the ordaining of elders (Titus 1:5). In the third phrase, the elders themselves ordained other elders (1 Timothy 4:14). Always the ultimate responsibility for appointing elders was a part of the function of church leadership.

Today there are no apostles or men who have been closely associated with apostles, but the biblical pattern still holds. Church leaders–whether they be called elder, bishop, pastor, missionary, evangelist, apostolic representative, or whatever–should have the responsibility of identifying and ordaining other elders.

Those who would be elders must desire to serve in this capacity. First Timothy 3:1 says, “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do” (emphases added). The starting point in identifying a potential elder is the desire in the heart of the individual. First Peter 5:2 says, “Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God.”

In other words, we are not to go out and recruit men to become elders. One who is qualified to be an elder will be eager to give his life totally to the teaching of the Word of God and the leading of the flock of God, without any thought of gain at all. He will desire the office, pursue being set apart, and devote himself to the Word of God. No one will have to talk him into it; it is his heart’s passion.

Furthermore, he serves “voluntarily, according to the will of God” (emphases added). His service as an elder is a calling from God. The desire to serve as an elder is in his heart because God put it there.

If a man has the desire, feels he is called, and has all the qualifications, one thing is still necessary before he can be ordained. The elders must together seek God’s will and affirm that he is in the decision. Acts 14:23 describes the process the apostles followed in selecting elders: “When they had appointed alders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Before they appointed any elders, they gave themselves over to prayer and fasting. They viewed eldership with great seriousness as the very highest calling.

Acts 20:28 affirms the Holy Spirit’s work in the selection of elders: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (emphases added). In response to His call, God plants in a man’s heart a passion for the ministry, and then confirms it by the leading of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the leadership through prayer and fasting.

When in my youth I sensed God’s call to the pastorate, I spent years seeking God, praying, wanting to know God’s heart and mind, and affirming that call in my heart before I stepped into the preparation for ministry. Every elder ought to view his calling as that serious, for it is. A man should not become an elder just because he has a vague notion that he would like to use his gifts and abilities to help the church. He should be motivated by a burden that causes him to seek God earnestly.

Acts 13:2 says that the instructions from the Holy Spirit to set apart Paul and Barnabas came “while they were ministering to the Lord [worshiping] and fasting.” The call of God is not to be taken lightly, and the will of God is not to be sought superficially. God’s will in the matter of ordaining church leaders will be expressed through the collective sense of God’s working among the leadership. They must be sensitive to it. The church is where the call is confirmed.

So elders are a group of specially called and ordained men with a great desire to lead and feed the flock of God. They are initiated by the Holy Spirit, confirmed by prayer, and qualified through the consistent testimony of a pure life in the eyes of all.

Are elders to be supported financially by the church?

Even in the early church, some elders were paid by the church for their labor. First Timothy 5:17-18 says, “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,’ and ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages.'” “Honor” in verse 17 is the Greek word time, which, as the context shows, refers to financial remuneration. (Notice that Paul quotes an Old Testament verse [Deuteronomy 25:4] and a New Testament verse [Matthew 10:10] and calls them both Scripture.)

In 1 Corinthians 9:1, 3-9 Paul says,

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?… My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we not have a right to eat and drink? Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? Who at any time serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat the fruit of it? Or who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock? I am not speaking these things according to human judgment, am I? Or does not the Law also say these things? For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing.” God is not concerned about oxen, is He?

In other words, it is bound into the very nature of the ministry that those who minister should be supported. Soldiers are supported by the government. Farmers eat of their harvest. Shepherds drink milk from the flock. Even oxen get fed through the work they do. So the pastor is to be supported by the church. He adds in verse 13, ” Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share with the altar?” Just as the priests lived off the offerings of the people, so those who minister under the New Covenant should be supported by those to whom they minister.

Nevertheless, Paul also establishes the fact that such subsidy is optional. It is a right, not a mandate. In verse 6, he says, “Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?” He and Barnabas were supporting themselves through work outside the scope of the church. They had given up their right to refrain from working. Paul is clear that as ministers, they had a right to be supported by the church, even if they chose not to exercise that right. Their working was out of choice, not necessity, because they wanted to offer the gospel without charge (v. 18), and they did not want to place the burden of their support on the church (1 Thessalonians 2:9).

Every elder has the same right. If his eldership is a calling from the Lord, if the church has recognized that, and if his calling has been confirmed through the Spirit of God to the leadership, he has the right to be supported by the church. If he senses the leading of the Spirit of God to seek subsidy so that he can be more free to do what God has put in his heart to do, the church is obligated by the recognition of his pastorate to support him.

But the “tentmaking” role is also an option. If an elder chooses to gain income in another way, that is within the latitude of Scripture. Elders may choose to support themselves by working outside the church, as did Paul, for a number of reasons. They may not wish to put the burden of their support on the church. They may feel their testimony has a greater impact if they do not seek support. In a church with a plurality of elders, it is likely that some will support themselves, and others will be supported by the church. This will be determined by the group. Either way, it does not affect the man’s status as an elder.

The terms lay and clergy are nonbiblical. That doesn’t mean they aren’t helpful. In certain circumstances, it may be useful to distinguish between those whose full support comes from their service to the church and those whose main source of income is another occupation; but in Scripture, no such artificial distinctions are drawn. There are not different classes of saints, and in terms of position, there is biblically no difference between a lay elder and a pastor. Each elder is charged with the oversight, care, feeding, protection, and teaching of the flock. All the elders together constitute the leadership and example for the rest of the church. All have been ordained by the church, called by God, and set apart by God to a shepherding function as defined in the Scriptures. They are all called to the same level of commitment and to the same office. Subsidy should not be a dividing issue. Every elder has the option to receive support, or to support himself–whichever reflects God’s will.

In fact, those who choose not to accept support from the church may have an advantage in the ministry they could not enjoy if they were paid by the church. They are uniquely in a position to display to the world their testimony of being above reproach. They are more exposed to unbelievers in the workplace, and are on the cutting edge in a different dimension of life, able to interface with people whom the church might otherwise have no contact with. They may bring a greater amount of credibility to the entire group of elders. So an elder’s subsidy is optional; his spiritual qualifications are not.

Is the pastorate a team effort?

Clearly, all the biblical data indicates that the pastorate is a team effort. It is significant that every place in the New Testament where the term presbuteros is used, it is plural, except where the apostle John uses it of himself in 2 and 3 John, and where Peter uses it of himself in 1 Peter 5:1. The norm in the New Testament church was a plurality of elders. There is no reference in all the New Testament to a one-pastor congregation. That is not to say there were none, but none are mentioned. It is significant that Paul addressed his epistle to the Philippians “to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers [pl. episkopos] and deacons” (1:1).

Some have said that Revelation 1 supports the one-pastor concept. There, the apostle John speaks of “the angels of the seven churches” (v. 20). Angel can mean “messenger,” and those who argue for the single-pastor church say that the messengers here and in chapters 2-3 are the pastors of the churches. There are a number of problems with that interpretation. First, it cannot be proved that angelos refers to a pastor. These “angels” are never called “elder,” “bishop,” or “pastor.” In fact, it is debatable whether they are human messengers at all. Angelos is nowhere used to refer to a pastor, elder, or bishop in the New Testament, and every other time angelos appears in the book of Revelation, it refers to angels.

Second, even if it could be demonstrated that those angels were pastors, that still does not prove that they were not representatives of a group of pastors. The clear New Testament pattern for church government is a plurality of elders. Acts 14:23 says, “When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Titus 1:5 says, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” It may be that each elder in the city had an individual group in which he had oversight. But the church was seen as one church, and decisions were made by a collective process and in reference to the whole, not the individual parts.

Much can be said for the benefits of leadership made up of a plurality of godly men. Their combined counsel and wisdom helps assure that decisions are not self-willed or self-serving to a single individual (see Proverbs 11:14). In fact, one-man leadership is characteristic of cults, not of the church.

Does the government by elders eliminate the role of a special leader?

That does not eliminate the unique role of a special leader. Within the framework of elders’ ministries there will be great diversity as each exercises his unique gifts. Some will demonstrate special giftedness in the areas of administration or service; others will evidence stronger gifts of teaching, exhortation, or other abilities. Some will be highly visible; others will function in the background. All are within the plan of God for the church.

The twelve disciples are a good example of how diversity functions in a unified system. The disciples were all equal in terms of their office and privileges. With the exception of Judas, they all will reign on equal thrones, all to be equally respected and honored (Matthew 19:28). And yet within the Twelve, there was a tremendous amount of diversity.

Scripture records four lists of the disciples, in Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:16-19, Luke 6:14-16, and Acts 1:13. Each list divides the Twelve into three groups of four names, and the three sub-lists always contain the same names, although the order may be altered. Generally, the names appear in descending order, beginning with those who were most intimate with Christ, always ending with Judas Iscariot.

The first four always listed are Peter, James, John, and Andrew. We are more familiar with them, because they were closest to Christ, and the Gospels tell us more about them. The second group comprises Philip, Matthew, Nathaniel, and Thomas; and the last group includes James, both Judases, and Thaddeus.

It is significant that although the order of sub-lists differs from one account to the other, the first name in each group always remains the same. In the first group, the leading name is always Peter. The first name in the second group is always Philip. And James always leads the listing of the third group.

Apparently, each of the groups had a recognized leader. His position as leader was not necessarily by appointment, but because of the unique influence he had on the rest of the men. Peter, the name at the first of every list, became the spokesman for the entire group, as we see repeatedly throughout Scripture. Almost every time the disciples wanted to ask Jesus a question, Peter was the mouthpiece.

They had an equal office, equal honor, and equal privileges and responsibilities. They were all sent out two by two. They all preached the Kingdom. They all healed. They all had access to Jesus. But while none of them was less than the others in terms of office or spiritual qualification (except for Judas), nevertheless, some of them stood out over the others as leaders among leaders.

A position of leadership does not imply spiritual superiority. It seems unlikely that Peter was the most spiritually qualified of the disciples. Perhaps James and John came to Jesus to ask for the highest places because they thought Peter was not qualified. Even though he was a leader, he certainly was not spiritually superior to the others. It could be that James the Less was the most spiritual of all. He may have had marvelous gifts that we just don’t read about, because Peter, as the spokesman for the group, was so dominant. We don’t know. But it does no disservice to the equality of the Twelve that one of them would give special leadership to the group.

The same phenomenon can be observed in the book of Acts. James, for example, was apparently regarded as a leader and spokesman for the entire church (Acts 12:17; 15:13). Although he was not in any kind of official position over the other elders, they seemed to look to him for leadership, at least in the church in Jerusalem. Peter was present, yet James was in charge. Their roles clearly differed. But no one was the leader of everything.

Peter and John are the two main characters in the first twelve chapters of Acts. Yet there is no record that John ever preached a single sermon. Again, Peter did all the talking. It wasn’t that John didn’t have anything to say; when he finally got it out, he wrote the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. But Peter had unique gifts, and in the plan of God, Peter was to be the spokesman. John’s was a supporting role–not a less important role, but a different one.

Beginning in Acts 13, Paul and Barnabas become the dominant characters. And although Barnabas was probably the leading teacher in the church before Paul came in, Paul totatlly dominated the duo. The Greeks even named him Mercury because he was the chief spokesman. Barnabas undoubtedly did some teaching and preaching, but his sermons are not recorded. His was a different–less visible, perhaps, but no less important–role in their joint ministry.

Every ministry we see in the New Testament is a team effort. Paul seems continually to commend the people who worked with him. Some of them were, no doubt, co-teachers. Others of them carried out servants’ tasks. None of that eliminates the unique roles of leadership. But it does prevent the independent, nonaccountable, self-styled leader from dominating, like Diotrephes, “who loves to be first” (3 John 9).

What is the elder’s relation to the congregation?

Elders are called and appointed by God, confirmed by the church leadership, and ordained to the task of leadership. To them are committed the responsibilities of being examples to the flock, giving the church direction, teaching the people, and leading the congregation. Scripture implies that anyone at a lower level of leadership involved in decision making as it relates to church policy or doctrine should be under the elders’ authority.

Because they share unique responsibility and position in the church, elders are worthy of great respect. First Thessalonians 5:12-13 says, “But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.”

The word translated “appreciate” in that passage means “to know intimately.” Along with the rest of this passage, it implies a close relationship involving appreciation, respect, love, and cooperation. And the reason for this great feeling of appreciation is “because of their work.” We are to respect them because of the calling that they are fulfilling–not only because of their diligent labor and the task they have, but primarily because of the calling to which they have been called.

Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” That emphasizes both the elder’s responsibility to live as an example, manifesting in his life the result of virtue, and the church member’s duty to be mindful of those who have led them in this way.

Verse 17 adds another dimension of the congregation’s duty toward their spiritual leaders: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” In other words, the congregation is spiritually accountable to the elders, and the elders are accountable to God. The congregation should submit to the elders’ leadership and let the elders be concerned with their own accountability before the Lord. If the congregation is submissive and obedient, the elders will be able to lead with joy and not with grief, which is ultimately unprofitable for everyone.

That does not mean, however, that if an elder sins openly his sin should be ignored. First Timothy 5:19-21 says,

Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also may be fearful of sinning. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality.

An accusation of sin against an elder is not to be received lightly. Nor is it to be overlooked. Elders are to be disciplined for sinning in the same way anyone else in the church would be. In no way are they to receive preferential treatment.

The testimony of the church is most visible in the lives of the elders. If they ignore the biblical mandate for holiness, the church will suffer the consequences. Equally, if the church is not submissive to the leadership God has ordained, its testimony will suffer, its priorities will be unbalanced, and ultimately its savor as the salt of the earth will be lost.

My desire is to see God’s church functioning as He has ordained, with strength and purity in the midst of a weak and wicked society. My strong conviction is that when the church submits to God’s pattern for leadership, we will begin to experience His blessing beyond anything we could ever ask or think. And my prayer is that we might see that happen in this generation.

http://www.gty.org/resources/positions/p11/answering-the-key-questions-about-elders

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♣ We ARE Pilgrims

12 Wednesday Mar 2014

Posted by abbasgirlme in Uncategorized

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I’m not really here, actually…but had to reblog this….such awesome truth and right perspective. Please hang on to that truth and never let your perspective get sloppy.
Back to my cave…. 😉 ~AGM

Shade of the Moriah Tree

pilgrim

MOST OF US no doubt have read John Bunyan’s classic, The Pilgrim’s Progress. Despite being written several centuries ago, it continues to hold readers in fascination and for some, more so than The Lord of the Rings because it is an allegory of the true Christian life; this is reality greater than fiction. One aspect that stands out in Bunyan’s portrayal of Christian is how he was beset with great trials before entering the Celestial City. This is an accurate depiction of the lives of those who truly desire to live a godly life (Acts 14:22).

Many preachers today emphasise that we are saved to have our best life now. It is true we are set free from the tyranny of sin, that our feet have been established on the path of Truth and we are on the way to glory, but seldom are we told that to enter…

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